Ruby Loop Countdown Method keeps returning "nil"

Question

I am working on a Ruby challenge for work, and I am unable to create a working method. Every method I try keeps returning "nil".

Here is the question:

Create a method that passes an integer argument to a single parameter. If the integer is greater than 0 print the numbers from the integer to 0. If the number is less than 0 simply print the integer. Use a for loop, while loop, or unless loop to print the range of numbers from the integer to 0.

For example:

sample(4)    
output = 3, 2, 1 

sample(-1)    
output  = -1    

Here is the code I tried to use

def countdown(n)   
    loop do  
    n -= 1  
    print "#{n}"  
    break if n <= 0   
end  
countdown(4)

Answer 1

A method returns the results of the last statement executed. Your loop is returning nil:

def countdown(n)   
  x = loop do  
    n -= 1  
    puts "#{n}"  
    break if n <= 0   
  end

  x
end  

countdown(4)
3
2
1
0
=> nil 

Now let's return something:

def countdown(n)   
  loop do  
    puts "#{n}"  
    break if n <= 0   
    n -= 1  
  end

  "okay we're done"
end  

countdown(4)
4
3
2
1
0
=> "okay we're done"